vmw_validation_mem_alloc(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 vmw_validation_mem_alloc(9) 💖

okay so bestie, welcome to section 9 of the Kernel API Manual — the one and only vmw_validation_mem_alloc. yes she's a kernel function, yes she's giving allocator main character energy, and yes we're gonna get through this together 🫶

✨ NAME ✨

vmw_validation_mem_alloc — allocate kernel memory from the validation context based allocator 🌸

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

void * vmw_validation_mem_alloc (struct vmw_validation_context *ctx ,
unsigned int size );

literally that's it. two arguments, one pointer back. slay.

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

  • ctx — the validation context 💅 that's the whole vibe, she's the allocator's home base
  • size — the number of bytes to allocated. (yes the manpage says "to allocated", we don't fix the original text, we respect the original text 😭) anyway: how many bytes you want, bestie

🌈 DESCRIPTION 🌈

here's the tea 👑 — the memory you get back from this function may not exceed PAGE_SIZE. no cap. that's the ceiling. do not ask for more, she will not give you more.

also, the returned address is aligned to sizeof(long) ✨ so you're nice and tidy, no weird unaligned nonsense.

and the best part? all memory allocated this way is reclaimed after validation when you call any of these exported functions:

  • vmw_validation_unref_lists
  • vmw_validation_revert
  • vmw_validation_done

so like… don't get attached. she's not yours forever, she's yours until validation wraps up 🦋 that's the arrangement, iykyk.

⭐ RETURN ⭐

  • pointer to the allocated memory on success 💖
  • NULL on failure 💀

that's the whole return section. short, sweet, iconic.

🧚 SEE ALSO 🧚

the whole friend group 💜 first up, the kernel file:

./drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_validation.c

then the structs:

  • struct vmw_validation_bo_node(9)
  • struct vmw_validation_res_node(9)

and then, ok, deep breath, the entire crew 🔥:

every single one, accounted for, no skips 💅

quick vibe check bestie: remember PAGE_SIZE is the limit and sizeof(long) is the alignment. those two facts are load-bearing, don't come for me if you ignore them 🙈

mwah 💋 this page lives in ./drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx, dated October 2026, and it's filed under vmw_validation_mem_alloc(9) — go forth and allocate responsibly, queen 🎀✨

📦 where this page comes from